Method for making ball bearing



May 14, 1963 I. R. BARR METHOD FOR MAKING BALL BEARING IRWIN R. BARR INVENTOR. I 1

THOMAS J. HOLDEN ATTORNEY United States Patent of Maryland 16, 1959, Ser. No. 896,899

Filed Apr.

6 Claims. (Cl. 29-14843) This invention relates to ball bearings, and more particularly, to ball bearings especially suited for portable conveyo-rs, and to a method for making such bearings.

Portable conveyors used to facilitate material handling generally employ a number of cylindrical rollers mounted on a frame. To insure free rotation of the rollers, ball bearings are inserted in the ends thereof. Because of the large number of bearings required in a given conveyor section, and the fact that there is no requirement for precision, unground bearings are used since they are the least expensive. In such bearings, either or both the rings may be stamped out of sheet metal. The shapes are such that the balls may be placed in the race in either ring, and the other ring assembled thereon. A sheet metal cover is then permanently rolled onto the assembly to retain the calls, which then serve to prevent separation of the rings under axial bearing loads. The necessity for seating the balls in a raceway having a radial dimension in excess of the clearance between the rings so as to prevent separation of the rings, requires either a three-piece bearing, or at the very least, swaging of one ring to close the ball clearance opening.

Since these operations may be carried on efficiently and at relatively low cost by conventional metal handling equipment, the bearings so formed are relatively inexpensive. However, their use in portable conveyors creates a number of problems. In a damp environment, corrosion quickly occurs in the races and on the balls causing a rapid increase in friction. When it is considered that there is a habitual failure to maintain bearings of the class described by periodic inspection and lubrication, it will be appreciated that frequent bearing replacement is required.

In addition to the susceptibility of bearings of the class described to damage by moisture, the absence of seals permits abrasive elements from the atmosphere to enter the grooves and quickly cause bearing failure. The use of sealed, lubricated bearings would prevent this latter described failure, but such bearings are considerably more expensive than unground bearings. Furthermore, even sealed bearings are not suitable in installations where steam or solvents are used to clean the conveyor rollers, as for example in food processing plants and the like. Under these conditions, the lubricant is soon melted away and corrosion is not prevented but only postponed.

Much eifort has been expended by those skilled in the art to provide a bearing of the class described which, although inexpensive, will neither corrode nor be affected by abrasives, but so far as is known, no successful bearing of the class described has yet been contributed, and the problems set forth above remain unsolved. It is an object of this invention to provide a method for making a bearing, which can be used in a damp environment containing abrasive elements and which does not require either an extra part or swaging to maintain the rings against separation.

As a feature of this invention by which the objects thereof are achieved, the inner and outer rings of the bearing as well as the balls, are formed of a plastic composition which has high impact strength and a low coeflicient of friction such that lubrication is unnecessary. By forming on the outer ring an integral web which extends toward and engages the inner ring, and by making this web sufficiently thin in section, a seal is formed which resiliently engages the inner ring and seals the raceway containing 0 Those skilled in the art 3,089,221 Patented May 14, 1963 the balls from abrasive elements exterior to the bearing. Because of the relatively large deflection of the rings and balls which may occur within the elastic limit of the plastic composition, there is no necessity for providing ball clearance in the rings. The halls may be inserted by pressing them in an axial direction into the clearance between the rings causing radial deformation thereof sufiicient to temporarily increase the clearance and effect passage of the balls into the raceway defined by the rings. As the balls seat in the raceway, the clearance returns to its original value. Separation of the rings can, therefore, occur only when axial thrust loads applied to the balls causes radial deflection of the rings sufiicient to recreate the ball insertion clearance. While the axial load required to recreate the ball clearance is generally relatively high, further resistance to separation is obtained after the bearing is mounted and all radial deflection of the rings is constrained by the mounting.

In some applications, it may be necessary to have a seal on both faces of the bearing thereby precluding axial insertion of the balls in the manner set forth above. In such case, the outer ring may be made in two symmetrical parts and held in place by :a housing which is radially deformable within the elastic limit of the material as the parts are inserted there-in. Separation of the various parts of this hearing is prevented in the same manner as in the previously described hearing.

The more important features of this invention have thus been outlined rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be dmcribed hereinafter and which will also form the subject of the claims appended hereto. will appreciate that the conception based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures for carrying out the several purposes of this invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims to be granted herein shall be of sufiicient breadth to prevent the appropriation of this invention by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a front view of a bearing made in accordance with the invention with parts broken away.

FIGURE 2 is a view in section showing the bearing of FIGURE I mounted in a conveyor roller.

FIGURES 2(a) and 5 show two methods by which the balls may be inserted into the bearing rings.

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to that of FIGURE 2 but showing another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3(a) shows a method of assembling the bearing of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 4 is a section view of still another embodiment of. the invention.

Referringnow to FIGURES 1 and 2, a bearing made in accordance with the invention is shown generally at 10 and has inner ring 11, outer ring 12, and balls 13, each of which are formed from a thermoplastic polymer by an injection molding process. A suitable plastic material which possesses high impact strength is a polycarbonate resin manufactured by the General Electric Company and known commercially as Iexan.

Inner ring '11 has an axial bore 14 and a generally cylindrical outer surface 15 having thereon a portion 16 of enlarged diameter. End faces 17 are normal to the axis of ring 11, as are circumferential shoulders 18 which connect portion 16 with the reduced portion -19. A radially outwardly open semicircular groove 26 is provided inportion 16 intermediate shoulders 13. Groove 20 forms the'inner race for balls 13.

Outer ring 12 has generally cylindrical inner surface 21 containing a radially inwardly open semicircular groove 22 upon which this disclosure is which forms the outer race for balls 13 when the rings are in concentric arrangement. That is, grove 22 in ring 12 is aligned with groove 20 in ring 11 to form a toroidal raceway of uniform cross-section which is of a dimension substantially the same as the diameter of balls 13. Consequently, when the balls are in the raceway, they allow the outer ring to be rotated with respect to the inner ring with very little frictional resistance. The nominal annular opening between the outer surface of portion 16 and inner surface 21 is smaller than the radial dimension of the raceway (and the ball diameter) so that once the balls are in the raceway, they serve to prevent axial separation of the rings. This arises because there is insufficient clearance between the rings for the balls to move axially with respect thereto under the influence of axial loads.

Ring 12 has a cylindrical outer surface 23 which may be press fitted in the interior of hollow cylindrical roller 24. Flange 25 defined by a face normal to the axis of the bearing serves to limit insertion of bearing in roller 24 and to correctly align the axis of the bearing with the axis of the roller.

Adjacent the face defining flange 25 on outer ring 12 is integral circumferential web 26 which extends radially toward inner ring 11 and terminates in free end 27. Web 26 is formed on ring 12 so that in its unflexed position, it is substantially normal to the axis of the bearing as shown in FIGURE 2(a), and is of relatively thin section. When groove 20 is aligned with groove 22, free end 27 engages shoulder 18 and is axially deflected from its unflexed position to the position shown in FIGURE 2. This defiection is within the elastic limit of the plastic material so that end 27 is resiliently urged into engagement with shoulder 18 to form a seal that protects the interior of the hearing from abrasive elements exterior to the bearing. By tapering end 27, a very small area of contact with shoulder 18 is produced thereby limiting friction between the rings due to the seal. Such friction may also be controlled by adjusting the amount of axial deflection of Web 26 due to the spacing of the web from the groove.

Inner surface 21 of outer ring 12 has a portion 28 which diverges from groove 22 toward the end face opposite to flange 25. The purpose for this conical shaped portion Will be apparent hereinafter, suffice it to say that the angle is not critical. It should be noted that there is no clearance in the annular opening between the rings to provide for insertion of balls 13. Such clearance is not necessary because of the novel manner in which the resiliency of the plastic material is employed during bearing assembly.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 2(a) which shows balls 13 seated in groove 20 of inner ring 11 before outer ring 12 is assembled to form the complete bearing. Ring 12 is moved axially onto the configuration until portion 28 contacts the surface of balls 13. As axial pressure is applied to ring 12, it moves axially while balls 13 and inner ring 11 are constrained. Flange 29 deflects or deforms radially outwardly from its rest position substantially parallel with the bearing axis, as is illustrated in FIGURE 2(a). This radial enlargement or deformation occurs within the elastic limit of the material. Eventually, the edge of groove 22 snaps over balls 13 which are then seated in the toroidal raceway defined by grooves 20 and 22. Flange 29' simultaneously moves radially inwardly from its deflected position to its rest position as the result of the internal strain energy contained within the flange. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that FIG- URE 2(a) is illustrative of the principle of the method for assemblying e elements of the bearing and various forms and jigs for retaining the balls in the raceway and the ring against movement have been eliminated for purposes of clarity.

After balls 13 are seated in the grooves, the races may be rotated relative to each other, but cannot be separated. Axial pressure applied to inner ring 11 tends to earn balls 13 in the raceway and cause flange 29 to deflect radially outwardly, increasing the annular clearance between the rings. However, since no inclined surfaces are presented to the ball, substantially more pressure is required to separate the rings than is necessary to assemble the same. Moreover, after surface 23 is fitted into roller 24, flange 29 is constrained against radial movement to the position shown in FIGURE 2(a). Thus, the bearing will resist axial loads until the axial pressure brinells the races.

Another manner of inserting balls 13 into the raceway is illustrated in FIGURE 5 wherein outer ring 12 is concentrically positioned with respect to ring 11 and grooves 20 and 22 are in alignment. Balls 13 are simply forced into the annular opening between the ring, with surface 28 serving to help cam flange 29 to the position shown in the drawing. Balls 13 will eventually snap over the edges of grooves 20 and 22 and into the raceway defined thereby, whereupon flange 29 will return to its rest position.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG- URE 3 and illustrates a bearing having each face sealed against abrasive elements. Here, the inner ring 11 is identical with the ring previously described. However, in this embodiment, the outer ring comprises ring segments 31, 32. Each segment is generally a hollow frustroconical body whose base 37 is substantially perpendicular to the axis. The interior edges of segments 31, 32 adjacent base 37 are defined by quarter circular grooves 33, 34 Whose centers lie in the plane of base 37. When bases 37 of the segments are abutted and the axes thereof are coincident with the axis of ring 11, grooves 33, 34 and 20 define a toroidal raceway Whose maximum radial dimension lies in the plane of bases 37. The diameter of balls 13 is substantially that of the maximum radial dimension.

Adjacent grooves 33, 34, and on the interior of rings 31, 32 are circumferential webs 26 which are similar to webs 26 of the embodiment of FIGURE 2, and extend radially into engagement with shoulders 18 on ring 11 to form a double seal. The rest position of webs 26 is in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of bases 37 and when the segments are in the position described above, webs 26 are deflected so as to cause them to remain in resilient engagement with shoulders 18.

With bases 37 abutting, and balls 13 installed in the raceway, the maximum outside diameter of rings 31, 32 occurs in the plane of bases 37. The diameter of each ring decreases uniformly toward the end face opposite to base 37. Surrounding rings 31, 32 is a generally cylindrical housing '33 that is apertured to provide an inner surface 39 corresponding to the outside surface of rings 31, 32 as shown in FIGURE 3. Once so assembled, balls 13 serve to effect relative rotation between the inner and outer rings and to prevent their separation.

To assemble the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 3(a), balls 13 are first placed in the groove in inner ring 11. Next, ring segments 31, 32 are placed in position from opposite ends of the inner ring until bases 37 abut, and the quarter circular grooves 33, 34 cooperate to define the outer raceway for the balls. The described configuration is then inserted into the aperture in housing 38. Relative axial movement of the configuration with respect to the housing causes radial deflection of the housing due to the maximum diameter of the configuration acting upon the housing as illustrated in FIGURE 3(a). This deflection is within the elastic limit of the material of the housing so that when the configuration is entirely contained within the housing, it regains its rest shape. It may thereafter be inserted into a counter bored recess in roller 24.

Separation of the various elements of the bearing due to axial loads applied to the inner race is prevented because radial deformation of housing 38 suflicient to provide clearance for removing rings 31, 32 therefrom is prevented by roller 24 as shown in FIGURE 3. To facilitate insertion into the housing the internal edges on housing 38 may be rounded.

If the diameter of each of the above described rings decreases non-uniformly toward the end face opposite to base 37, the exterior surface of the rings may be made spherical and the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4 results. The interior surface of housing 41 is made spherical to match the spherical exterior of configuration 40. In this manner, an extremely simple self-aligning bearing is achieved.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that th1s invention provides an inexpensive bearing well adaptableto be mass produced by conventional in ection molding methods. Furthermore, the bearing elements so produced may be assembled in a novel manner such that there need to be provision for ball clearance. The bearing so formed needs no lubrication and is protected against abrasive elements by a novel seal formed on the outer ring during the molding process.

What is claimed is: I

1. A method for making a bearing assembly which includes (l) a sleeve having a bore therein that is relatively resistant to radial enlargement, and (2) a bearing having an outer ring of substantially the same diameter as said bore concentrically arranged about an inner ring, concentric facing groove means in each ring for forming a toroidal raceway of uniform cross-section, and anti-friction elements of substantially the same crosssection as said raceway engaged therein for effecting relative rotation between the rings, comprising the steps of: forming said outer ring of plastic material capable of substantial deformation within the elastic limit so that it is substantially easier to radially enlarge said outer ring than to radially enlarge said bore, placing the antifriction elements in the groove means of the inner ring, radially enlarging said outer ring within the elastic limit of said material by axially moving said outer ring relative to the inner ring over the anti-friction elements until the latter are also engaged in the groove means of said outer ring, and inserting said outer ring into the bore of said sleeve so that the resistance of said sleeve to radial en largement serves to prevent radial enlargement of said outer ring in response to axial loads transmitted from one ring to the other through the anti-friction elements.

2. A method for making an axial load resistant hearing which includes an outer ring concentrically arranged about an inner ring, concentric facing groove means in each ring for forming a toroidal raceway of uniform cross-section, and anti-friction elements of substantially the same cross-section as said raceway engaged therein for effecting relative rotation between the rings, comprising the steps of: forming said outer ring of plastic material capable of substantial deformation within the elastic limit so that said outer ring is thereby capable of substantial elastic radial enlargement, placing the antifriction elements in the groove means of said inner ring, radially enlarging said outer ring within the elastic limit of said material by axially moving said outer ring relative to the inner ring over the anti-friction elements until the latter are also engaged in the groove means of said outer ring, and constraining said outer ring against radial enlargement due to axial loads on the bearing transmitted from one ring to the other through the anti-friction elements.

3. A method for making an axial load resistant hearing which includes an outer ring concentrically arranged about an inner ring, concentric facing groove means in each ring for forming a toroidal raceway of uniform cross-section, and anti-friction elements of substantially the same cross-section as said raceway engaged therein for effecting relative rotation between the rings, comprising the steps of: forming the rings and elements of plastic material capable of substantial deformation within the elastic limit so that said rings are thereby capable of substantial elastic radial deformation, placing a full complement of anti-friction elements in the groove means of the inner ring, radially deforming said rings within the elastic limit of said material by axially moving said outer ring relative to the inner ring over the anti-friction elements until the latter are also engaged in the groove means of said outer ring, and constraining said rings against radial deformation due to axial loads on the hearing transmitted from one ring to the other through the anti-friction elements.

4. A method for making a bearing assembly which includes (1) a sleeve having a bore therein that is relatively resistant to radial enlargement, and (2) a bearing having an outer ring of substantially the same diameter as said bore concentrically arranged about an inner ring, concentric facing groove means in each ring for forming a toroidal raceway of uniform cross-section, and antifriction elements of substantially the same cross-section as said raceway engaged therein for effecting relative rotation between the rings, comprising the steps of: form ing said outer ring of plastic material capable of substantial deformation within the elastic limit so that said outer ring is substantially easier to enlarge than said sleeve, assembling said rings and the anti-friction elements into said raceway by a process that includes radially enlarging said outer ring within the elastic limit of the material only until said groove means are concentrically facing and said anti-friction elements are seated therein, and assembling the bearing and the sleeve by inserting said outer ring into the bore of said sleeve so that the resistance of said bore to radial enlargement serves to prevent said anti-friction elements from radially enlarging said outer ring when the anti-friction elements transmit axial loads from the inner ring to the outer ring.

5. A method for making a bearing assembly which includes (1) a sleeve having a bore therein that is relatively resistant to radial enlargement, and (2) a bearing having an outer ring of substantially the same diameter as said 'bore concentrically arranged about an inner ring, concentric facing groove means in each ring for forming a toroidal raceway of uniform cross-section, and antifriction elements of substantially the same cross-section as said raceway engaged therein for effecting relative rotation between the rings, comprising the steps of forming said outer ring of plastic material capable of substantial deformation within the elastic limit so that said outer ring is substantially easier to enlarge than said sleeve, concentrically arranging the inner and outer rings so that the groove means therein are concentric, radially enlarging said outer ring within the elastic limit of the material by axially moving the anti-friction elements between said rings until said elements are seated in said groove means while said rings are constrained against axial movement, and inserting said outer ring into the bore of said sleeve so that the resistance of said sleeve to radial enlargement serves to prevent radial enlargement of said outer ring in response to axial loads transmitted from one ring to the other through the antifriction elements.

6. A method for making a bearing assembly which comprises concentric inner and outer rings with circumferential groove means in the outer surface of the inner ring alignable with circumferential groove means in the inner surface of the outer ring for defining a raceway for anti-friction elements including the steps of: forming the outer ring of plastic material capable of substantial deformation within the elastic limit so that the outer ring is thereby capable of substantial radial enlargement and with an inward radially extending web axially spaced from the groove means in the inner surface of the outer ring; forming the inner ring with a portion of reduced diameter to define a circumferential shoulder axially spaced from the groove means in the outer surface of the inner ring; placing the anti-friction elements in the groove means in said inner ring; radially enlarging said outer ring within the elastic limit of said material by axially moving the outer ring relative to the inner ring over the anti-friction elements until the latter are also engaged 7 in the groove means and said web engages said shoulder; the axial spacing of said Web and shoulder from the groove means being such that when the anti-friction elements are in the groove means, said Web resiliently engages said shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Leister -2 Man-10, 1936 Bowen Nov. 14, 1950 Schultz et al. Dec. 19, 1950 Baker et al. Sept. 2, 1952 Graham Jan. 13, 1953 Allen Mar. 2, 1954 Van De Warker July 31, 1956 Menne Mar. 5, 1957 Van De Warker Sept. 3, 1957 Ferdig Mar. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 18, 1954 Great Britain May 25, 1955 

1. A METHOD FOR MAKING A BEARING ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDES (1) A SLEEVE HAVING A BORE THEREIN THAT IS RELATIVELY RESISTANT TO RADIAL ENLARGEMENT, AND (2) A BEARING HAVING AN OUTER RING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIAMETER AS SAID BORE CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED ABOUT AN INNER RING, CONCENTRIC FACING GROOVE MEANS IN EACH RING FOR FORMING A TOROIDAL RACEWAY OF UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION, AND ANTI-FRICTION ELEMENTS OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME CROSSSECTION AS SAID RACEWAY ENGAGED THEREIN FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN THE RINGS, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: FORMING SAID OUTER RING OF PLASTIC MATERIAL CAPABLE OF SUBSTANTIAL DEFORMATION WITHIN THE ELASTIC LIMIT SO THAT IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY EASIER TO RADIALLY ENLARGE SAID OUTER 